You’ve spent the past month or two in close communication with a client while working on her website. You loved working with her — she is your ideal client. You hope that she considers you in the future if she ever needs more web design work. You’ve delivered an amazing website to her, but you want to do something a little extra to let her know you appreciate her. What’s a web designer to do?

Today, we have six ideas for amazing parting gifts that you should definitely know about.

A Handwritten Note

In the digital age, a handwritten note card can feel like a warm mug of apple cider on a cold day. Letting your client know that you enjoyed working with her will not only light up her day, but it will also make you feel good just to write it. A card like this will go so much further than a heartfelt email. There is something about opening a handwritten card that an email can’t touch. Just make sure to grab her snail mail address in your intake document or at the beginning of your project. Easy!

Set of Inspirational Messages

Last year at our Web Designer Beauty School Retreat, one of the gifts our attendees received was a personalized set of common CSS rules, inspirational quotes, and messages we wanted them to remember printed on textured paper and displayed in reclaimed wood block. Katy designed them and had them made at Artifact Uprising. Since then, I’ve designed my own to surprise my clients as parting gifts because I was so impressed. They arrive via courier at your client’s home and wow them right from the start. Everything from the quality of the paper to the wood block they stand up scream personalized attention. All you need to do is design a set of 12 images and upload them to the app + purchase. Less than one week later and your client will have her gift! I’ve received the BEST feedback from gifting these. They’re definitely staying on my own personal list!

A Gift Card

One of our amazing students gave both Katy and I a gift card to Mantra Bands in December. We were both blown away by the gesture and LOVED choosing our own mantras. Here’s what I know for sure — if WE loved it, our clients will love it too.

I’ve also recently gifted a coffee loving client with a custom mug that I’ve added her new branding to (I used a local printing company but you could also use Zazzle or Vista Print), along with a Starbucks Gift Card. She loved it.

Design Bonuses

Your client has a new website, which means that she will probably also need new graphics for her social media accounts. Some of our Beauty School students create cover images for Facebook, Twitter, Pinterest, and Instagram, and deliver them at the end of a web design project. Your clients will love that you took the time to create these graphics — and it will help them get motivated to promote their sites on social media.

Branded Phone Case

Find out what kind of phone your client uses and you’ll be able to upload her new branding artwork to Zazzle where you can create a customized + personalized case for her phone! Actually — you can make pretty much anything you want at Zazzle. Pillow for her office? Tablet cover? Water bottle? You can do it all.

A Charity Donation

One of our students makes a donation in her clients’ names to Kiva, the international nonprofit that supports people all over the world with small loans that allow them to start a business, go to school, or access clean energy. Now that’s some good karma.

I have also adopted an animal through the World Wildlife Fund, for my client, when I happen to discover that my client has a particular love of an animal that needs protecting. Protecting the future of nature must be double good karma.

BONUS Idea – Oracle Cards

I have fallen in L-L-LOVE with Chris-Anne’s Sacred Creator’s Oracle Cards. If your client is a fellow creative, then this deck is for her. My mastermind group loved them so much when I brought them on our last retreat, each of us bought our OWN deck!

Keep It Coming

A parting gift at the end of a web design project is a great way to make your clients feel special, but what about a few months down the road when they might need your services again?

To keep you top-of-mind, you can take the advice of one of our generous students, who sets the bar for the rest of us:

Follow up three months later with a handwritten note offering to help with a new project

Send an email six months out to let them know you are thinking about them and still interested in their work

Send a one-year anniversary card with a discount code for additional design work

If you haven’t officially set up a parting gift experience for your clients, we highly recommend it.

It will make you feel good, and it will make your clients feel good — something they will remember when they need more web design work.

We’d LOVE to hear from you some ideas you’ve employed in your business to give your clients. What have you had great success with?

These are GREAT!! Here’s another one for you….
Lori Portka has such a great stuff! And very reasonable! I’ve given the prayer flags (which aren’t religious), the Crazy Sexy Love Notes, and the 8 x 10 prints. https://www.etsy.com/shop/LoriPortka Enjoy!!